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UNL soccer player's killer gets public defender

OMAHA, Neb. -

A federal court has ordered a public defender to represent a man seeking to be released from prison for the shooting death of a Nebraska soccer player.

Lucky Iromuanya was convicted of second-degree murder for the 2004 shooting death of Jenna Cooper, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln soccer player. He was initially sentenced to life, but the Nebraska Supreme Court reduced his sentence in 2006 to 50 years, noting that Iromuanya had no criminal record.

Iromuanya's subsequent appeals in Nebraska courts were rejected, and he filed for habeas corpus in Nebraska's federal court last year. Habeas corpus is the right to seek relief from illegal detention.

In the federal complaint, Iromuanya asked that a public defender be appointed to represent him.

On Tuesday, a federal judge approved that request.

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